Fact Check
by Mummy0f5
Summary: Alya asks Ladybug for an interview and gets an unexpected answer in return. ONESHOT SET AFTER SEASON 3, PRIOR TO SEASON 4.


**A/N - set post season 3**

...

Marinette trudged in through the doors of school. She was tired. It had been two months since Chloe had deliberately akumatised herself in a tantrum over not getting the bee miraculous to help stop her parents.

Pretty much every temporary miraculous holder was out of action because of it. Their identities were known to Hawkmoth now. Which meant that Chat Noir and herself were fighting him on their own again. Just like last night. It didn't help that she had her new guardian duties on top of it. And that was just the pressure on her from her Ladybug alter ego.

Never mind her civilian side. Classes, homework, class rep. And bullying. Lila had been making good on her word. Insideous words in her friends ears that caused doubts. Constant lies making Marinette's so-called friends think that Marinette was at fault. Making them think that Marinette was jealous of Lila's supposed 'relationship' with Adrian. Nevermind his actual relationship with Kagami. The lies that Marinette was bullying Lila when in reality it was the other way around.

Marinette was so tired of it all. Her steps were heavy as she walked up the stairs to her classroom. She really wasn't in the mood to deal with them all. How they could believe Lila's obvious lies was beyond her. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door to the classroom open and entered it, silently, and headed up the the back row where she had started sitting.

It hurt. Marinette's so called friends who had known her for years all slowly turned their backs on her, choosing to believe the lies than the truth they had known for years. Alya had been the first. That had really hurt. She was supposedly Marinette's best friend. Now she was Lila's lacky and her ladyblog was a complete joke. She never fact checked anything Lila said. Just posted each lying interview proudly.

She took another breath before sitting down. It wouldn't do to get akumatised again. She was just lucky that Mayura had been unable to hold onto her powers the last time. Paris had been so close to destruction at that time. Even the mere seconds of akumatisation had been seconds too long for both Marinette's and Tiki's comfort. The risk was even higher now.

Adrian, who had promised to always be beside her, was too distracted by his blossoming relationship with Kagami. He barely noticed that Marinette was no longer sitting behind him. Instead Lila was.

Marinette ignored the growing gossiping group surrounding her old seat. She ignored the loud whispers of her name as she opened her books and got ready for class to start. She stared out the window and waited for the teacher to arrive, rather than pay attention to whatever crap was dripping out of Lila's mouth that morning.

Ironically, Chloe was the only other person not in the group. Between her akumatisation and Sabrina's abandonment for the sake of Lila, Chloe was another class pariah.

"She cornered me in the bathroom yesterday after school. She threatened me again.I don't know what to do anymore."

Lila's fake sobbing voice whined. She wasn't even trying to hide her voice now. Marinette ignored the the glares in her direction. She hadn't spoken to anyone in her class for weeks unless it was class or class rep related.

She was glad when Ms. Bustier finally arrived and started class. It was the only time Marinette got a break from the constant lies and glares. She was seriously considering moving schools. The only thing keeping her here was the fact that most of the akuma victims seemed to come from her school. Which meant Marinette was closer to the scene and could deal with them quicker than she could at another school.

She wasn't so happy when the akuma alert sounded out a mere 20 minutes later. Hawkmoth was getting desperate and akumatised people as often as he could. They weren't very strong and were easily handled but it was tiring. Marinette raised her hand.

"May I please go to the toilet, Ms Bustier?"

"Yes, Marinette, but hurry back."

Marinette raced out of class and hid in a closet to transform. She waited for Lila to pass by into the girls toilet and for Adrian into the boys one before escaping out of the closet as Ladybug and heading off to the akuma victim for battle.

...

One stupid 3 hour battle later, a tired Ladybug and Cat Noir prepared to head off.

"Ladybug! Chat Noir! Wait up!"

It was Alya's voice. She had apparently recorded the battle and wanted an interview. Ladybug sighed and turned to the reporter. Cat Noir gave her a look before doing the same.

"Yes Alya? How can I help you today?"

"Oh, I was just wondering why you haven't called for Rena Rouge or Carapace in ages?"

Ladybug looked at Alya stunned.

"Alya, your secret identities were found out by Hawkmoth of all people. It's not safe for you to be Rena Rouge anymore."

"Oh..." Alya looked saddened at that.

"What about an interview? You haven't given me one in months!"

Ladybug looked mad at that.

"Alya, your blog is no longer reputable. I refuse to give an interview to anyone who isn't known for checking their facts first."

Alya's mouth dropped.

"Wha. Wha. What do you mean? I always check my facts!"

"Really Alya? Are you sure about that? Let me ask you a question, who is my best friend?"

"Oh that's easy! Lila Rossi!"

Ladybug shook her head.

"No Alya. My best friend is the person in a black cat suit standing right beside me." Ladybug placed a hand on Chat Noir's shoulder. "I would never be best friends with a civilian. I would never tell a civilian my secret identity."

Alya was shocked.

"But... Lila said she was..."

"Lila was lying. Just like she had been lying about everything else you've posted on your blog. You didn't fact check anything about that interview or the ones following it.

Your supposed best friend designs album covers and glasses for Jagged Stone. Something which was publicly acknowledged in a magazine. But you never asked her if he had a so called cat? Or if there was ever a song written to a teenage girl on any of his albums? Heck he lives part time in Chloe's father's hotel but you never asked her if he had a cat.

Rose, if I remember correctly after her Princess Fragrance akumatisation, got quite close to Prince Ali. But you never asked her to confirm if he knew this Lila Rossi or invited her to his country. I'm surprised Rose hadn't asked him, myself. I would have thought she'd have been excited to tell him about meeting his friend.

She claims to be a model but the only modeling shoot I've ever seen her in is the one with Adrian Agreste a few months back supposedly calling her his muse.

Your blog isn't even about us superheros anymore, it's all about Lila Rossi and her stories."

Ladybug shook her head.

"One would think you had learned nothing after being akumatised into Lady WiFi and until you start fact checking, I will never grant you another interview."

Ladybug and Chat Noir took off then, leaving a very shocked want-to-be reporter thinking very desperately about what just happened.


End file.
